Lupus...

My co-worker was out sick yesterday, so we she came back today I asked her if she was feeling any better. She said no and I asked what was wrong. I didn't expect to hear what I heard.

She has been having a lot of medical "issues" lately, but I never thought they were to the degree that they are. I already knew from a previous conversation that she has a cyst on her ovaries. That's bad enough, but then she tells me today that she has 4 different diseases and one is Lupus. When I heard that I almost started crying. (I know Lupus all too well. My godmother died too young of Lupus and it wasn't at all an easy death.)

She explained to me that her joints will every once in a while give her problems. She said the only way she can describe it is when you are handling frozen meat and your hands start almost burn because of the cold tempurature--kind of like when people get frost bite I suppose. From the times I have handled semi-frozen ground beef, I totally know what she is talking about... after a while you have to stop and run your hands under some warm water to stop the tingling--the burning kind of tingling. I can't imagine that feeling non-stop throughout your joints. How horrible! The worst part is that they can't put her on pain meds because she is already on a million other meds for all of her other problems. Poor thing.

I feel so terrible for her, but I see her as a hero. She has all of these problems that would make me just breakdown and give up and ask God what I did to deserve all that, but no. If anything she is one of the most happy-go-lucky, cheerful, positive people I've ever known. I wish I was more like her. I wish the whole world was more like her.

Pray for her, people. God listens and He heals. I know I will be keeping her in my prayers...